


Kragdon

by EvilRegalswan



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, F/M, Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, Original Player Characters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-14
Updated: 2019-11-16
Packaged: 2021-01-30 11:07:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21427210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EvilRegalswan/pseuds/EvilRegalswan
Summary: A retake of season 5 of Buffy the vampire slayer. Originally written under my pseudonym SkylirJames when i was 16. Sometimes what is shown on the surface is hiding deeper waters.
Relationships: Faith Lehane/Buffy Summers, Tara Maclay/Willow Rosenberg, Xander Harris/Anya Jenkins
Comments: 1
Kudos: 14





	1. Prologue

Prologue.

It was a restless night as Faith silently moved through the copse of trees. The gnarled limbs grabbing anything that stepped off the natural pathways. She had been here ever since she had left Sunnydale. The fight with Buffy and body switching fiasco had left the brunette shaken. She still had a few bruises from that fight in the church, the worst part of it was that it was her doing most of the damage, just not in her own body. Being in her own skin again did feel good however, so her complaints were minimal.

After the switched back, she had run as far as she could go. Not knowing what to do or how to make the chaos that she had caused better, Faith hopped the back of a truck and left Sunnydale for good. Though she had no idea what B had been doing with her body during the switch shed guessed from the groggy headache she had experienced after that it had to do with the council and its goons. Faith really didn't want to think about that in depth. Currently she was on the hunt and yes to her it was a hunt.

The brunette had realized long ago after she had been called that the slayer was a huntress and predator in the rawest form. Faith had accepted the slayer within, the darkness that Buffy tried to deny was who they were meant to be. In response to her inner demon, she stalked through the night hunting those that hunted others. Her hunting grounds the forest around her and the town's graveyards.

Five months after she had left Sunnydale the brunette found herself stuck in cowboy country. She had settled under an alias at a nearby broke down motel in the middle of the town. The similarity of her situation today and Sunnydale is not lost on her. The motel had been run as a demon nesting ground, when she arrived the Slayer had a hell of a day cleaning it out. Currently now there is only three people in residence. Frank, a shape shifting demon who chose to remain neutral, and a blind woman one door down from her own room. Both had been calling the dingy place home long before it was infested by blood sucking vermin; for that reason, they both chose to stay. A heavy blue moon hung in the sky tonight as Faith hunted through one of the bigger cemeteries, the heavily wooded area shrouding the brunette. Electricity crackled through the air setting gooseflesh to travel swiftly up her body, there was something more than your average demon out her tonight. In the corner of her eye Faith caught movement to her left. Stretching out her senses she could feel a wall of power pushing back in warning in the distance. The aura felt familiar to the brunette, almost werewolf-ish.

It wasn’t like how Oz felt when he transformed, while that didn’t eliminate werewolves altogether it did tell the slayer that wasn’t what she was going to be hunting tonight. Her curiosity peaked, which was never a good thing where Faith was concerned, she began to stalk through the forest after her new mouse. Slinking through the greenery like a panther on the prowl Faith grabbed some mud to camouflage her scent better. For miles she followed this seemingly new creature deep into the woods to a valley that stank strongly of dark magic. Stopping at the edge brown orbs traced over every detail, seeking exits and entrances, and possibly the big daddy of demons that was in charged of what she had just found.

Crouching down low to the ground watching as the creature out in the moon light approach the small pool of water in the distance, she creeped forward slowly. It’s visage and stance reminded the brunette of a jungle cat expecting company. 'What the hell?' Faith thought as it stood up fully on hind feet. Suddenly the jungle cat became an extremely hairy man with a tail and the face of a cat. A mighty "Roar” tore the air asunder flashing through her brain as a lightning strike on a crystal lake. It reverberated as more joined with the first, trying to pinpoint how many there were or where the sound ended was near impossible. Clasping strong hands over bleeding ears her scream joined their cacophony. Forgetting the danger in her surroundings Faith fell to her knees still clutching her head and screaming into the night, the feeling of an ice pick driving through her brain driving all other instincts to the grave. Stretching seconds into hours, relief only came when suddenly the noise stopped. Bone chilled with the worst migraine; her hands slowly left her aching ears dragging the streaks of blood on her hands against the wet grass. Breathing heavily her instincts came to her slowly. Deep chocolate eyes rose to find thirty pairs of feline eyes staring back.

"Oh. Fuck," Faith rose into a loose defensive position, there was no other movement from the crowd of were creatures. They were assessing her, studying this intrusion to their gathering. Shuffling her feet, Faith tried for an easy exit moving backwards slowly and carefully. A growl split fourteen of them evenly into two groups. A clear pathway has been made for the biggest one at the end of the line. She wasn’t quite sure what the hierarchy was with this breed of creatures however Faith assumed that he was the one in charge. A shiver of dread traveled down her spine as her exit was suddenly halted by a giant oak tree. Wanting to present a front of bravery Faith braced herself for whatever was to come her way. A voice deep in her subconscious that vaguely reminded the Dark Slayer of her light counterpart called to her about the stupidity of her actions. The Slayer within her growled in response to the stalking of the black beast before her. She would not back down. This thing was but a speck to the slayers power.

"Hey, what the fuck are you, some kind of house cat?" the sickly-sweet tone of her voice was undercut with a slight quiver. A part of her brain knew that taunting him was a bad idea. There were fifteen of them and only one of her. The odds were not in her favor, but it wasn't within Faith to back down from a fight no matter the odds. As they started growling in anger, at her the brunette took a deep breath in preparation. She was ready for anything even death. In a way she was expecting it. Despite her prepared state of being the brunette was still too slow for the tackle that connected and threw her into the tree behind her.

Dazed with each stolen breath that she took Faith felt her nerves steel against the onslaught of pain racing up and down her spine. Screaming in rage she threw her body against her attacker changing the play of the game by gaining the advantage of surprise. As they tumbled into the middle of the field Faith struck as many hits as she could, giving back as good as she was getting. The tip of her steel toe doc martin connecting with the bastard’s muzzle hard enough to separate the two of them. Slowly they circled each other. A cut on her forehead sluggishly bleed as her slayer healing had been kicked into overdrive during the start of the battle. Wounded but not dead was a big plus to the brunette. Faith knew that the fight wasn’t quite over. It wouldn’t end until one was left standing. Baring her teeth in response to the snarl that was being sent her way Faiths mind clicked over to the slayer completely. No longer would she allow her human mind to hold her back, if this was to be her day of death she will go out with a bang. The fight began once again as both charged for the other.

The two had been fighting for hours neither gaining the upper hand than when they had started, it will most likely come down to which ever one tires first. Thunder shook the sky overhead and rain began to cascade hard across the land. Mud piled under the feet as the ground became slick Faith slipped unintentionally, serendipitously avoiding a high tackle. Feeling the rain pound into her trying to get the air back into her lungs for the third time that night, her body screamed in protest as she rose up once again. Faith knew that she only had a small window of opportunity to get back up again before she was done for. Unfortunately, she had underestimated her foe, just as she had climbed back up to her feet she was tackled from behind. Falling face first into the mud, the momentum sliding them forward. Struggling to buck the Alpha off her, his claws dug into her back. She shifted her hips for leverage throwing her elbow up when she felt a thousand needles of fire try to take a chunk out of her shoulder. His teeth had come down into her shoulder, breaking her skin and clamping down on the bone. Before she could stop it a scream of pain fell loose from her lips blindly her hands ran through the mud searching for something anything to beat this beast off her. A cold hard, surface stung the tips of her fingers. Her dropped dagger. She had lost both of her weapons in the initial scuffle and had lost track of them as the fight continued. Cutting through the muscles in her hand Faith closed her grasp around the blade. When the Alpha had withdrawn its teeth, it was with renewed strength Faith didn’t think she had as she brought it behind her into the Alpha's neck instantly killing him. His dead weight crushing her as his black blood covered her face.

Pushing herself to a standing position, she shouldered the dead thing off of her body. For just a moment Faith forgot the pain, she assessed her injuries minutely taking in just how badly her arm was messed up from the bite she had received. Gently putting pressure against the wound a wave of black stole her senses sending her almost flat on her face back to the ground. Gritting her teeth Faith focused on her surroundings. Her watcher used to tell her if she could turn the pain into an afterthought it would disappear until help could be gotten; That it was Faiths job to stay alive. She noticed the rain had stopped; she was all alone as well except for the Alpha that she had killed moments ago. The night sky was lightening as the sun began to rise over the crest of the mountains in the distance. The hours of her hunt had passed quicker than she had thought but Faith sure as hell didn't feel like she had been fighting all night. An hour or two sure, but not all night.

She took in the warmth of the rising sun for a few moments more, letting a moment of peace settle with in before the chaos in her head drowned it out. Cradling her injured arm Faith decided to take her chances of being caught by the police by going to one of the many hospitals within the city limits to get patched up. Turning on her heels with her back to the sun a urgency to reach the nearest road. Ignoring the remains of the demon that she had killed, she failed to notice the were demon transforming into a regular man as the sun was continuing to rise into the sky.


	2. The Portal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the adventure continues

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: Fuyrsha Queen/Most High, Kran'al King/Mighty Lord, s' The.  
Note 2: Chornas Demon a demon oracle. It has a long snout and can reach up to five feet tall, its body is covered in viscous fluid and its eyes are blood red with orange slits. They usually live in a dung hut, and they smell like rotten eggs.

By the time Faith had found her way out of the forest and back to the graveyard the sun was already high up in the sky. She would have gotten there sooner than she did if she hadn't of gotten turned around for a second or two. Her shoulder still hadn't stopped bleeding. She was covered head to toe in cuts and bruises, her left ankle was sprained, and from what she could feel she had at the very least two broken ribs, maybe a few bruised ones as well. Faith hurt and every time she moved pain spread through her body, she kept moving forward towards help. It was a war between her brain and instincts with each step. Her instincts were telling her that she should stop and rest, while her brain was telling her to keep moving until she reached the hospital. The brunette decided to, for once, ignore her instincts and to follow her brain. She needed help now. 

Resolute in her decision, Faith had already left Pine Creek Cemetery and was only three blocks away from Denver General. It was the closest hospital to the cemetery as it was built next to a crematorium and funeral home. Hobbling down the street she was making a good pace as the hospital was closer than before, A black SUV speed past her in the same direction that she was going. She didn't really pay that much attention to it at first, she was in too much pain to concentrate on anything but her end goal. It wasn't until the car made a U-turn about a block passed her and started gunning for her that Faith really took notice. At first she thought 'Council Goons' and made to dive out of the way as it jumped the curb. She had landed into a bush that was nearby before the car could make contact. With her slayer hearing she heard the squeal and grind of the breaks as the SUV came to a screeching halt a few feet away from her. Crawling army style as best the slayer could towards the forest that she had just left, adrenaline pumped through her veins putting stress on her over worked heart. Instincts to survive surged to the forefront shutting her brain up faster than piss freezes in negative temperatures. The dive had aggravated her shoulder, each movement on the ground was hell but Faith ignored it and continued crawling, using the bushes for cover. She could hear the Council's henchmen a few yards behind her looking through the grass, yelling at each other about missing her. 'I guess B must've pissed them off' she thought amused as she continued to crawl towards the trees. If she just made it there then she could move along the edge of it for the rest of the way of the way to General hospital. She could rest, possibly forever and know that this time at least she didn't go dark. Buffy could be proud of her for once, in death she fought the good fight and redeemed her sins. 

A gunshot rung out in the distance behind her. She didn't know if it was the grounds keeper of the cemetery or the council's henchmen. Flattening her body to the ground trying to pin point which direction it came from Faith inched forward at a snails pace, her goal to make as little noise as possible. Faith bit her tongue to hold back a started scream as she felt someone or something grab her injured arm and pull her somewhere to the left. At first she thought that the goons had found her and began to fight back, but she was too tired and weak from the blood loss that she had endured to put much strength behind her punch and shoves. She thought she had at least gotten in a right hook at the stranger's face before she blacked out. 

Marcus starred down at the beauty that had collapsed in his arms unconscious. The struggle she had put up when he pulled her away from the danger concerned him. He wasn't sure why he had felt an instant kinship with this strange woman, but he would protect her. When he first woke up, a mile or two away from where he had tracked her, the strongest feeling that one of his kind was close called to him. As Marcus took a closer look at the woman in his arms he thought that she looked familiar somehow, like he had seen her after the change. It wasn't until he caught her scent that he recognized her for who she was. s'Kran'al's murderer and heir; both in blood and bite. She was the same creature that had followed him to the sacred clearing. 

Another gunshot rang out in the distance, Marcus looked up taking in his surroundings with better awareness. The hunters in the distance to the right had began to head straight towards him. Not wasting another moment, he swung his queen up in his arms and started to run away from the direction that the hunters were coming from. He knew that if they got to the clearing then he and the girl would be safe if only for a moment. Marcus could sense the blood lust in the men behind them. He knew that to them he was just collateral damage, fodder to be explained away as wrong place, wrong time. They were just after her. They only wanted her. He had to protect s'Kran'al's heir, no matter the cost he would protect her.

Running through the woods towards the clearing that he and his kin were at last night, praying to every god that was willing to listen that they would make it safely. Marcus took a sharp left and cut his arm on a tree branch that was a good ten feet near the entrance of the clearing. The jostling of his arm disturbed the passed out brunette. He didn't have time for any questions right know, he could feel the hunters gaining on them. His grip tightened on her, pushing forward as hard as he could. Marcus was sure that if he were alone he would have been able to stave them off, but right now, his main priority was protecting his Fuyrsha. Getting them both home before the magic energy dissipates was more important then a contest of egos right now. Chanting the words of the ancients, Marcus called forth the portal that would take him not only home but someplace safe. They had reached the middle of the clearing just as the portal was opening. Taking one last look behind him, Marcus could see that the men were not that far behind. He sensed that they had spread out to block all sides of escape, but had yet to notice the swirling portal. He took a deep breath, holding the woman as tight as possible against him and jumped. The vortex closed as fast as it had opened with a small pop. Smith and Weatherby who were being flanked by three or four other henchmen emerged from the clearing just as they disappeared. 

"Shit... Where... did... they go?" Weatherby panted.

" 'ow the 'ell should I know; do I look like a bloody wizard to you." Smith barked out at Weatherby. 

"NO. you look like a Chronas Demon which is why I thought you would know. Cause you sure as bloody 'ell look and smell like one." Weatherbey yelled out causing some of the others to laugh to Smiths annoyance. 

"Shut the 'ell up," he snapped, seething with anger, and then to the others said, "That goes for you too, you ponce' little prats. Now spread out, search the forest, 'hey couldn't have gone far. Find them. Now!" 

The other men scattering away in separate directions, to look for the rogue and whoever she was with. If they had bothered to look a little closer at their surroundings, the Council Goons would have noticed the shimmering pool not five feet in front of them making the tiniest of ripples. The glittery blue mirror like shine of the water just slightly unnatural enough to gain notice if one were to pay attention. Turning their backs the small pond that held the traces of the portal returned to its natural resting state. It would open no more until the one who would rule would open it again on the next blue moon. The Kragdon. 

***********

On the other side of the portal in his home dimension Marcus stood to his full height, and looked around his surroundings. He looked up and saw much to his relief the dimensional door close. That was too close for him, for a fraction of a second he was afraid that there wouldn't have been enough magic in the air to open the door way home. He felt a stirring in his arms. Marcus looked down and was captivated by the darkest brown eyes with a black rim. They were captivating, Marcus like many others before him was completely hypnotized by her eyes and beauty; he felt his heart swell as his grip tightened. He wondered why he was feeling this way. 

Faith had no idea where she was, or what had happened for that matter after she had been grabbed. The only thing that she remembered was crawling away from the council, being grabbed by the arm and then the next thing she knew she was being carried by some stranger back to the clearing that she had left at sunrise. The memories were shaky at best, but she remembered a moment of free fall before conscious left her again. Faith had thought she had just been hallucinating from the blood loss, the feelings were the by product of another coma dream. Maybe her true destiny was to be in a coma. After everything she has seen and done, been made to do, maybe that is not such a bad thing to be destined for. Faith closed her eyes again and drifted off back to the land of nod. When the sensations stop, she started to open her eyes looking up directly into yellow cat like pupils. 

"What the...?"


	3. s'Hors'kal and A Whole New World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hors'kal Healer/Witch Doctor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> still in the process of editing this chapter

Faith scrambled out of Marcus' arms as soon as she had come to her full senses. A flash of the mans name and his smell sent the slayers senses on edge, her confusion mistaking the calming pheromones that were excreting from the man above her. Climbing onto her feet she shifted into a loose defensive stance preparing for an attack. A subconscious thought about safety skated through calming her body but driving her slayer more on edge as the cobwebs cleared away. Better to be cautious than be caught unaware, Faith had learned that particular lesson the hard way several times. Though in appearance he looked like a man Faith knew he was so much more than that. It was like the face before her was an illusion and his eyes revealed his true nature. 

They stood staring at one another, neither moving. They were studying one another. Faith was trying to figure out the best way to take him down should he attack and Marcus was wondering what he should do to subdue her without dying. Marcus lowered himself slowly to the ground. Gently pushing his head to the side to expose his neck as he would do with his Alpha, he prayed that this deference to her would work. A rumbling growl reverberated through Faiths chest, her stance relaxed the lower he moved his body to the ground. Her mind running a bit clearer Faith still found herself confused. Her attention shifting to focus on her immediate surroundings 'Okay what the fuck is going on and where the hell am I?' 

Marcus rose to his feet as his Queen moved past him. His eyes tracked her trying to read the thoughts that were behind her actions. He watched as she moved into the same stance as the night before when she had killed s'Kran'al. He could sense that she had been wary of him and wished to appease her so he did the only thing he could think of. He bowed. As low as possible to show her that she had the power. Now with her attention diverted away from him he wondered the purpose behind her actions, softly he began to chant the supplication.

Faith had no idea what was going on, at first she thought that she was going crazy or in her case crazier. The area around her looked like the clearing she was in the previous night. The sun was slowly setting, the small pool in the middle rippled gently in the evening breeze. It was a serene scene, these things were not the reason why Faith thought that she was going crazier. The reason was the fact that the growls that were coming from the man behind her sounded close to words. She didn't fully understand what she was hearing but it almost sounded like he was repeating "forgive my insolence...I beg forgiveness and promise undying loyalty; Oh great Fuyrhsa." 

Faith turned back to eye Marcus, studying him as he continued his prayer like speech. Her head began to feel fuzzy again and she started to sway under the pressure of awareness. She could feel that the wound on her shoulder was almost completely closed. The bruises were deepening and changing color slower than her open wounds were healing. She needed to sleep somewhere safe to heal completely, even if she desperately wanted answers right now, Faith new she had very little time left standing on her own two feet. Opening her mouth to ask the first of many questions that were going through her mind Faith ran out of time. She pitched forward slightly as she lost consciousness.

Marcus raised his head slowly as he felt her stare bore into him. He could feel her uneasiness and wished to rectify whatever he had done to cause her to be uncomfortable. It was then as he rose his head to look at her that he noticed that she was injured. He hadn't really paid that much attention to her wounds earlier but now that he had he could tell that she was close to joining the last Kragdon and Kran'al in the next life. Not even thinking about how one should act with or in front of someone with a high position in royalty, he rushed to her side catching her a second before she collapsed. Not even thinking about anything else but getting her the help that she needs he started running towards his home where the rest of his kin were waiting for him. He was supposed to stay in the other world to report what had happened with the Kran'al and the stranger while the others traveled home before the portal had closed. 

Upon arriving near the cave entrance that he lived at he took one last look around to make sure that they weren't being watched and ran to the entrance. There he was surrounded by most of his kin. All of them asking questions as to where s'Kran'al was and what had happened after they had left. The ones who had noticed the girlin his arms had quietened and the one who hadn't kept pestering him. It was only when he had shouted for s'Hors'kal that silence surround him as everyone got a good look at her. It was only when they noticed the smell of blood and the bite mark in her left shoulder that they gave him a questioning look. It only took him to say one word before without hesitation they all bowed low to the ground and let him pass to go to the healer. 

Running faster than he had ever thought he could before he stopped at the tent entrance to s'Hors'kal and without thinking twice about it entered to where Sar'ah was writing at her desk. As he entered Sar'ah's head rose to see what was going on. As soon as she saw Marcus standing there with a bleeding woman in his arms she immediately stood up and started to parade him with questions as to what had happened and who this woman was, while she had him place her on the bed that she used in the corner of her tent. 

Getting the story out of Marcus was harder than she thought but when she finally had it all she had already had patched up most of the wounds that hadn't already healed and was working on stitching up the bite mark on her left shoulder. When she was done she started to lecture Marcus about duty and protocol and why hadn't he brought this girl to her sooner. He was lucky that he had got to her when he did or else s'Fuyrsha would have died and then they would have had to go back to that world and search for her heir if she in fact had one. That was unless they wanted to be overthrown by their neighboring kingdom and be treated like slaves to the hunters. 

After much insistence and reassurance that nothing would happen to the new s'Fuyrsha Sar'ah had finally gotten Marcus to leave. As soon as he left she sat down in a chair opposite her patient and studied her closely she could tell already that the girl was going to be alright and judging by the condition that she was brought in she could tell that it had been much worse a few hours ago. She didn't know what type of creature this girl was but she could sense that she was kin to her and the others also that she had a completely different chemical makeup. Sar'ah knew that the next full moon when this girl changed she would be unique compared to the rest. 

Getting up out of the chair that she was in and going back to her desk to write in her journal Sar'ah made sure to keep an eye on the girl and record everything that she had been told and everything that she noticed from the injuries to the most shocking piece of information that she had found earlier on the girl's right arm. When she had been examining her she came across something that she hadn't seen in years. This girl whoever she was carried the mark of a slave and not just any slave but one who was born in slavery and taught at an early age what her worth in life was. She was a runaway from the looks of her. From the scars that hadn't healed on her back she could tell that the girl had had a very hard life and survived more than one could put in their imagination. 

Watching her from the corner of her eye Sar'ah felt herself dozing lightly in and out of sleep as she was writing. Finally two pages later she decided to go to sleep. Getting up from her desk she slowly and quietly made her way to the other bed in a far corner near the fire thinking that her patient would be out for another few hours, she fell promptly to sleep. What she didn't notice was that her so-called patient's eyes snap open. 

Faith woke up feeling warmth surround her. Her senses seemed to have come alive, she could hear a crackling fire next to her and another person breathing heavily in the distance she could hear kids laughing, people talking in a language she understood but couldn't really wrap her brain around. Taking a deep breath she thought she could smell green tea cooking. 'Tea!' Snapping open her eyes she bolted upright into a sitting position thinking that the council had caught her. The first thing that she noticed was that she wasn't chained and that her injuries had been bandaged and stitched up. 

Looking around at her surrounding, she noticed that she was covered in the softest fur that she had the pleasure of feeling and that she was lying in a bed, she saw a wooden desk with a book on it in one corner, a bed in another with someone sleeping in it and a fire pit in the middle with a fire in it burning bright and warming what she had deducted was a tent that had more furs hanging from a rope from the ceiling, and low an behold in a black pot over the fire was a batch of green tea. 

Looking down at herself to check how well she was fixed she soon took notice that she was as naked as the day she was born. Swinging her legs out of the bed she stood and stretched her limbs while keeping her senses open to everything around her. She had learned early in life better to be cautious than dead. Looking for her clothes she noticed that her tank top was torn in shreds and had probably been cut of her body. 'Oh well' she thought 'didn't really like that shirt anyways.' When she found her pants though she was far from happy or indifferent towards it, she was pissed off, "Shit these are my favorite leathers, man look at what these motherfuckers did to them they don't even look recognizable now," she said in a quiet angry voice with a pout on her face. Putting them down and starting a new search for something in what her mind she thought was decent to wear. The only thing that she had found was a dress and a pair of boots that seemed to fit perfectly on her though the dress was a little puffy and reached down to her feet it was still something to wear as she went exploring. 

Exiting the tent when she had finished dressing, Faith found herself in what looked like a medieval village with all the trimmings there were houses and tents little farms kids running around cats running through alleys there was even a lake in the distance. In the middle of it all she saw benches and venders selling their wares. Walking down the path that lead from the tent that she had just exited and towards the middle of the town where it seemed most everyone was, she noticed that all the people she passed were staring at her, children would stop their play, the women would stop talking and like always in her life the men would stop and gawk at her. Though she paid that no mind she just continued walking until she came across a bench were upon that bench a little girl was sitting all by herself. For some reason Faith felt drawn to this little girl it was as if they had a connection, one similar to the slayer connection she would feel whenever her B was around. 

The girl seemed to be about seven or eight and looked as if she hadn't seen a bath in a while. She had smudges on her face, that Faith assumed was from playing in the mud. As Faith approached her the girl seemed to get scared almost like she was waiting for something horrible to happen to her. As the girl looked at her she noticed that she had brown eyes and long light brown hair. She could see in the girl's eyes that she was terrified, of what Faith had no clue but she guessed that it probably had to do with her. Slowing down just a bit Faith approached the girl with caution. Sitting down next to her when she had reached her; Faith and the girl sat there not speaking just watching the crowd as it passed by sometimes pointing at them while speaking in low growling voices. Sometimes it almost sounded as groups of children were passing by that they were purring at each other. 

Finally giving into the silence that had surrounded her and the girl Faith asked "What's your name?" 

After some hesitation the girl answered in a small voice "... Dawn."


	4. Kindred

They sat in silence watching the crowd pass. Faith had no idea how long they were sat for, but she could feel that Dawn was appreciating the silence. Faith figured that Dawn wasn't big on the talking thing. She really wasn't big on it either but then again, the older brunette wasn't big on much of anything. If one didn’t count surviving and a certain blond back in sunny hell. As her mind moved in the direction of uncomfortable locations, she started to ask Dawn where they were. Unfortunately, their almost conversation was cut off by a scream in the distance. 

Immediately standing up and looking around her, Faith listened hard for another clue that would lead her in the right direction that scream had come from. When she heard it again, she was gone in the blink of an eye, running so fast that the leaves and discarded trash whipped into the air in small cyclones in her wake. The only clue of her existing in that spot on the bench was the farewell shout she gave for younger brunette to stay there before she left. 

Turning down the twisting marketplace into an alley she made a left and ran into a dead end; without a second thought Faith ran up the wall and jumped on top of the roof of the connecting house. Running down the length of one roof, leaping to the top of another she ran as if her life depended on it towards whoever was in trouble. Coming to another dead end she dived for the over the crowning pitch of a tent crashing on to the cobblestone pavement with a tumbled roll. Climbing on to her feet the adrenaline pumping hard and fast not even the shock of hitting the ground from a three-story house fazed her momentum. She continued forward reaching the edge of town. The lake that she had seen earlier when she had taken the time to observe her surroundings glimmered at the end of the valley she had entered. 

A brunette in torn rags, covered in dirt was running straight towards her. Five feet behind her a Gnash'ed Demon was following close behind. 'Ugly sucker' was her first thought before Faith moved forward grabbing the girl by the arm and throwing her onto the road behind the slayer. Faith stepped in front of the demon and threw a punch straight into its chest, the force of impact breaking flesh and muscle. She could feel her hand moving through flesh, muscle, and bone hitting the demons blue heart and killing it instantly. She had no idea how the hell she had done more than push it back a few feet away from her and its victim. Gnash’ed Demons were generally had skin as hard as steel. They were almost impossible to break or injure without a blessed staff of Hathor. A small disappointment of a too easy fight left the slayer filled with pent up energy. She didn't really question the easiness of it, though she knew it would fester in the back of her mind. Dislodging the dead demon from her arm Faith turned to the girl who was looking at her with both awe and abject fear in her eyes. That look sent a shiver down her spine. It was the type of look she got from most demons in Sunnydale, from some humans as well.

Looking down at her arm and then back at the prone woman looking up at her from the ground. Faith noticed that the girl had a gash on her upper right arm. The trail of blood from it wasn’t too bad from her visual analysis however she wanted to get a closer look. Reaching out to the battered woman the brunette tried to come across as calm and concerned. She was concerned. Faith hated the look that the redheaded woman was giving her. It brought back to many bad memories of a time she hoped will be long past by the time she reaches home. Wherever that was. The injured woman cried out in fear, moving backward as fast as her injuries would allow her to go. It wasn’t very far. Faith crouched low to the ground playing as docile as she could with her body language and aura. Again, when she noticed that the woman was calmer than before she moved closer. Reaching out Faith brushed the torn rag of a shift away from the injured skin on the woman’s shoulder to get a better look at it. A curving barbed wire tattoo was broken in fours due to the claw marks from the demon. It startled Faith, she knew only a few people that ever had a specific mark like her own. One look into the blue eyes of the other woman confirmed Faiths suspicions. This girl was like her. A slave. 

Sitting on her dirty heels Faith noticed that the dress that she had stolen to wear this morning was practically in shreds. It looked as if she were wearing a grass skirt or something. 'How the hell did that happen'. Not wanting to even spend the energy on that passing thought she looked up at the kid and sighed a long weary sigh, it was a sigh of a woman who had come to a decision that she knew others would not like. 

Rising to her feet Faith held the other woman’s eyes with her own, a silent question hanging in the air between them. They stared at each other for a minute before the girl gave a nod of her head. A resignation seemed to crackle in the air. Her arms reached out in answer. Pulling the girl up into her arms Faith grunted her name, she hoped by opening the lines of communication their silent conversation could be put on hold. Instead she received was exactly the opposite of what she had expected. The girl just clung against her staring at the ground in the distance. She seemed to be waiting for a physical blow. A punishment for naughty little girls that need others to rescue them. Faith realized that the girl hadn't completely understood her. ‘I guess I need to work on talking with my eyes better or using my brain’ breathing out tiredly Faith started to walk back to the village with the girl cradled bridelike in her arms. 

The trek back to the village seemed to stretch longer than Faith had thought she had gone. Still not a spoken word had passed between them, yet. Passing the third block of huts and tents a soft voice echoed melodically to her ears "Why?" 

Adjusting the dead weight in her arms Faith grunted, "Why what?"

"Why are you helping me, aren't you a Fuyrsha?" the last word fell like a whimper of painful expectation

"You know I keep hearing people calling me that name and I still have no idea what the hell it means. It's kinda starting to piss me off. You wouldn't by chance care to enlighten me now would ya?" Faith asked feeling irritated at the lack of knowledge and expectation that followed every time that stupid word was uttered.

"It means Queen," the whispered response given was a tickle to the breeze that sofly blew her hair back. 

Faith stopped in her tracks shocked. Her mouth opening and closing like a fish as her brain spun and ran into dead ends trying to process if the fairy fly of a whisper was what she truly heard. “Hhuh?"

"People call you Fuyrsha because you are the new Queen of Xairna," the girl explained softly her body tensed as she still expected to be dropped or whipped. 

"How do you know?" Faith asked. 

"I am Selena. I am the youngest sister of Marcus; he was the one who brought you here. I was bought back home by my brother three days ago when the Master got bored with this toy." Selena told her in a nonchalant tone of voice as if what she had just said occurred all day, every day. "I thank you for saving me great lady," Selena murmured burying her head into Faiths neck. 

Feeling the tingling sensation of pressure on one of her erogenous zones Faith almost dropped Selena back on to the ground. Gently placing her down the brunette held the redhead out at an arms distance. 

"You ran, didn't you?" Selena froze in place turning her head away with a horrified expression. Her hands began to fidget nervously, anxiety pouring from every centimeter in waves.

"What ... How ... What?" Selena stumbled on her words; her breathing increased despite her attempts to get control. In her head millions of different situations were running through. Selena felt safe and scared. Some memories of her past and others of the future that she had daydreamed about when she was forced to participate in her master’s sick games.

"The mark on your arm." Faith stated giving Selena a minute shake to gain her focus back on to her. 

Confused Selena looked down and saw the mark of slavery on her right arm, in her anxiety she had almost forgotten about her imprisonment. Looking defeated and a bit scared she looked back up to Faith with complete confusion in her eyes. When Marcus had secretly visited her and told her that he had brought home the heir to the throne from the Catheira dimension Selena thought with dread in her heart that a hunter had been turned and was now in charge. He had spent hours reassuring her that her concerns were for naught. If he had been telling the truth, then how did this royal stranger know about the cursed mark. Only people from her world knew of it she thought.   
Seeing the question in Selena's eye Faith ripped the sleeve off her right arm. With the tattered sleeve torn away her own mark was bared to all who would dare to look. 

"Twelve years before I ran away and another two after they caught me. That demon that was after you is called Gnash'ed, they're strong and quick but they are also stupid as fuck and their weakest point is five inches below their heart. As far as I was aware even with the weak spot it would take a blessed staff of Hathor to even pierce their skin." Seeing Selena’s questioning eyes she continued quickly with her story; "When I first ran they sent one of them after me to bring me back," Faith could see understanding dawning on Selena's features as she kept going, “I was fifteen when a lady came and told me that I had a destiny. She was my only family, she had set me free and she was dead a year later by the hands of a vampire named Kakistos." She stated the last part with great sorrow.

"You were there." Selena stated with dawning sympathetic horror. Faith just nodded her head a lone tear tracking its way stubbornly down her check, confirming what Selena already knew. 

"I'm sorry," she said in way of condolence and meant it. 

Faith nodded her head in acceptance. She began to walk again with Selena following beside her. Both mentally wondered what would happen next. They reached the heart of the village in silence moving in one long gait to the village square where Dawn like a good little kid was still sitting on the same bench waiting.   
As soon as Dawn saw Faith she jumped up from where she sat parading her with questions. Smiling at Dawn's excitement and worried enthusiasm Faith answered as many of the questions as she could avoiding the demon parts of the battle. Dawn quieted down after a few minutes satisfied with the answers that she was given.   
She had no idea why, but Dawn felt like she had known Faith for years. The little girl knew that they were the best of friends. Even though she was only nine and extremely small for her age Dawn felt that with Faith everything would fine. The three of them made their way to s'Hors'kal's tent to get the two adults fixed up and a hot meal for the girl. In her heart Dawn felt that they were almost like kindred spirits.

*****

Meanwhile back in the real-world Buffy Summers is about to get the surprise of a lifetime. 

A Little Sister.


	5. Surprise!

Waking up after a short nap Sar'ah stretch in bed, yawning out the last of her exhaustion from a well-deserved rest. She had been dreaming of her mate Selena. They were together, starting a family during the celebration of the Rose Moon. Digging the flat of her hand against her breast Sar'ah held back her heartbreaking solves as best she could. It had been three years since her love have been stolen away from her by the hunters. 3 years since she had held her, fiery mate. In the first year Marcus had tried to help her get Selena back. The journey into the bastard's territory and back had almost killed them both. After the one-year anniversary Sar'ah had asked Marcus to stop she couldn't take losing him as well. Laying on her bed thinking about happier times, so I could have sworn that she felt the presence of her mate.

Shaking off the impossibility of that thought she rose from her furs and left to check on her recent patient's wounds. Sar'ah looked over to the cot in the corner that her patient was supposed to be on. The empty cup was the only evidence that her patient was missing. Panic filled her body as she tore into the room scanning around to see if she was still inside the tent. Much to her disappointment she couldn't find any trace of the woman.

What she did notice was that one of the dresses she had been mending was missing, and the tents entrance flap was open. Rushing to the entrance determined to find the missing Royal if it killed her Sar'ah was stopped by a solid body whose impact with her own small body laid her out flat on her backside. Looking for the wall she had just crashed into with a lecture at the tip of her tongue Sar'ah froze mid breath. Standing right in front of her, she could see her missing patient, a little girl who she had seen maybe once or twice around the Village Square, and the reason for her stolen voice. Her happiness, her dream, her Selena. Bleeding but in one whole piece. The world fell away, nothing else mattered as a lifetime of memories filled the space in her head. Her focus on the only thing that held her life, her desire, her affection, her wife.

Both were lost to the others eye searching deep in the each other's soul for something that only they knew. It was Sar'ah who broke the silence first when and what she saw calmed her fears. "Selena?" she asked before promptly fainting.

************

SUNNYDALE

Buffy was strolling through Rest Field Cemetery looking for Vamps, for anything to slay. It was the second time this night that she had been out on the prowl for action. The first time was with the gang, and they had only run into one vampire that night. Xander had been bickering with Anya the entire time, once again, over something innocuous. Willow and Tara we're hanging in the back making googly eyes at each other, not in the least bit participating. After about two hours of this going on buffets irritation had reached its peak. She made the decision to "call it" and walked everyone home before going back to the cemetery alone. Ensuring everyone that the town was safe once again thanks to them and that she was going home for a hard-earned yogurt had been far too easy. Really though she wasn't ready to go home yet, the blonds enter Slayer was extremely antsy to get any true rest. School was starting soon and everyone but her we're bouncing off the walls about it. The thought of school just left Buffy irritated.

The last few months before she had been wandering off into her own world. She had been slipping into Slayer mode more and more lately, her body on constant hunt mode the minute the sun would set. She was even beginning to block out her friends chatter when they went with her during laying. It was like they weren't even there, just a random setting of white noise to tolerate each night. When the noise scared her prey away, she would temporarily tune back in to escort them home safely before turning around to resume her hunt. Willow thought that Buffy was still bummed about Riley breaking up with her over Faith. The redhead had no idea that Buffy was the one to break things off with Riley. When she had found out that he had slept with Faith, ( yes, she had thought about the fact that the brunette had hijacked her body) it felt as if something inside her had broken. It had been a betrayal in the harshest sentence. Buffy's knees had begun to go week and she had the urge to cry and tell her tears turned to blood like a vampires. Riley had tried to fix it, begging her for another chance and she have let him crawl for a while; but the feeling was still there. She had broken it off with him a week later.

During the whole trial of trying to stay with him and maintain a relationship Buffy had remained strong. She didn't break down crying every time she saw him like she wanted to. He wasn't the reason that she wanted to cry. No one would understand the thought that he had touched faith and faith had let him is what killed her inside.

When Faith had first come to Sunnydale, the brunette has been this force of life that called to Buffy's entire being. The blond Slayer had tried to deny it at first by pushing the other girl away. It had worked for a minute, she had been able to resist the magnetic pull that was faith. When Buffy stop fighting her feelings and began to give in to the other girl, Allan Finch happened, and she had freaked. Buffy began to actively push Faith away. It was her actions that had made Faith go to that monster who claimed he loved her.

Buffy could still remember that one night she had shared with the brunette. No one had known about their secret. It had happened days before Allen and the mayor. And that back alley where they shared their first kiss and so much more. Sometimes late at night show dream of soft hist whimpering size that left her body tingling when she woke up. The blond would be so hot and bothered that one soft brushing touch would send her to her imminent release. Imagining face soft but calloused hands roaming her body and made her feel things Angel never could have invoked a million lifetimes. She had been complete.

After Riley had left, Willow had found Buffy on their dorm room floor. The blondes body shaking from convulsions as she allowed herself to release all her sorrow that she had held inside. She didn't scream or event, feeling a war tearing apart her soul, but he allowed her vulnerability to overtake her just that once. Willow had thought that Buffy loved Riley, the truth was he did nothing for her. It was fate that she was in love with. The only reason that she had been with him in the first place was because he resembled something that was as close to normal as Giles was. She had a thought that was what she had wanted. A piece of normalcy in her chaotic, and usual world. She knew now that normalcy wasn't for her. The only thing Buffy wanted right now was her sister Slayer here with her again, being the chosen two.

Willow had pulled her through reminding Buffy of the Adam problem. Her best friend had gotten her to focus on the new upcoming Big Bad. Together her and her friends had defeated the initiative and it's Frankenstein science experiment. Two and a half months of inactivity, almost 6 months since Faith had disappeared from Sunnydale and the blondes physical radar. It was torturous. They still had no idea where the brunette was. The last sighting that the council had of her was in Colorado before she had completely disappeared off the face of the Earth. That had been a month ago give or take a few days. The only reason Buffy knew about the siding at all was because of the contacts that Giles still had and the council's innerworkings. It gave the blonde Slayer a spark of hope.

Buffy glanced at her watch noting internally that it was 3 in the morning and she still haven't made any more kills that night then she had earlier. Coming to the decision to pack it in for the night for good Buffy felt disappointed at having such an unsuccessful night. One of the day ages we're biting at her heels as thoughts about faith had been forefront in her mind that night. Buffy headed home, to a cold shower and a warm bed to sleep in. She had to get up early today to help her mom at the gallery, moving boxes and things. And her distraction the blond failed to notice that in the distance following her, hiding behind the trees was one not so stealthy Riley Finn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since I am without internet currently dictating from my phone it's not as easy as it sounds hope you enjoy this one.

**Author's Note:**

> will update daily as I edit along


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